Can opener having drip collecting means



June 30, 1970 CHARETTE 3,517,440

CAN OPENER HAVING DRIP COLLECTING MEANS Filed April 11, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [NVENTOR Omer CHARETTE ATTORNEY June 30, 1970 o. CHARETTE CAN OPENER HAVING DRIP COLLECTING MEANS Filed April 11. 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet z- INVENTOR Omer CHARETTE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,517,440 CAN OPENER HAVING DRIP COLLECTING MEANS Omer Charette, 117 Rue Thibeault, Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada Filed Apr. 11, 1968, Ser. No. 720,551 Int. Cl. B67b 7/24 U.S. C]. 30-55 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for Opening fluid containers having an an up and downward operable, lever-actuated punch blade and means for automatically collecting drops dripping from the blade upon perforation and removal of the container from the apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to an improved mechanical can opener assembly of the type employing a vertically operable, lever-actuated piercing punch or blade.

Description of the prior art Various types of can openers, especially adapted to open oil cans, have been developed, but in all types and styles of openers existing, so far no provisions have been made to collect the oil dripping oif the can piercing element following perforation and removal of the container from the assembly, with the result that, on the one hand, a certain quantity of oil is wasted each time a can opener of the type aforesaid is used and, on the other hand, that the opener assembly and especially the base thereof, soon becomes quite messy and sticky on account of the oil freely dripping thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It subsequently is a main object of the present invention to overcome these disadvantages and to provide a can opener with means for automatically collecting and storing dripping drops.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing, for purposes of illustration only, an embodiment in accordance with the present invention wherein:

FIG. 1, in general, illustrates a can opener assembly according to the invention;

FIG. 2, in detail, shows the leverage mechanism operating the piercing punch in up and downward direction and, illustrates in a partial cross-sectional view, the oil drop collecting means;

FIG. 3, in detail, illustrates the lever actuation of the punch in addition to the perforating operation of the can; and

FIG. 4, in a partial cross-sectional view, shows the drop collecting means according to the invention and as shown in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used in the various areas to designate like parts, the can opener assembly according to FIGS. 1 and 2, and generally indicated at 1, is seen to comprise a substantially flat can supporting base 2 provided with two can positioning arms 3 and 4, upwardly projecting therefrom and adapted to partially embrace and properly retain the can 5, FIG. 2, for piercing operation.

Integral with and rising from the base 2 is a vertically extending hollow standard 6 which, in the embodiment shown, is quadrilateral and arranged as a slide post for an upand downward slidable, lever-actuated punch assembly, generally indicated at 7.

The punch assembly 7 is seen to comprise a punch carrier 8 formed with a square sleeve 9, FIG. 2, which loosely fits the standard 6 for vertical movement thereon, and with the collateral carrier plates 10 and 11, FIGS. 1 and 2, integral with and projecting laterally from the sleeve 9, over the base 2. Attached to the lower-most side of the assembly, via an adaptor disc 12, is a detachable circular punch or blade 13 having a curved cutting edge 14 which extends downwardly and terminates centrally into the point 15 adapted to penetrate the top of the can (FIGS. 2 and 3). The disc 12 is adapted to fit punches of different sizes so that one of a size to fit the can to be opened may be easily attached thereto by means of a pin connection 16, known per so.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the punch carrier 8 is arranged so that a hollow clearance 17 is arranged between the plates 10 and 11 in order to provide space for the leverage action of a lever handle 18, a link 19, and a link support arm 20 to raise and lower the punch The lever handle 18 is pivoted to the punch carrier 8 by means of a first fulcrum pin 21 and, via a second pin 22, FIG. 2, is fulcrumed to the freely swingable link 19, which is pivotally connected to the support arm 20 by means of a third fulcrum pin 23. The link 19 compensates for the different positions necessary for the ful crum point of the lever handle 18 when same is raised and/ or lowered.

For the opening of cans of smaller sizes, the height position of the support arm 19 and the standard 6 may be suitably varied, for example, by means of a pin connector, not shown but known per se, attached to the connecting side of the arm 19 and adapted to tightly fit plug-in holes, not shown, provided vertically along the standard 6.

To use the device of this invention it is only necessary to place a can in the position as shown in FIG. 2 and then to press downwardly upon the handle 18. Pressure upon the handle 18 swinging upon the fulcrum link 19 causes pressure to be applied through the pin 21, the punch carrier 8 and the adaptor disc 12 to the punch 13, which moves downwardly. As the point 15 enters the can top 24, the cutting edge 14 follows and perforates same, FIGS. 2 and 3.

Following perforation of the can top, the handle 18 is lifted, FIGS. 2 and 3, whereby through the pins 21 and 22 and the link 19 swinging on the support arm 20, pressure is applied to this arm, which causes the punch assembly 7 to slide upwardly to its uppermost position on the standard 6, as indicated in FIG. 2.

To hold the container down onto the supporting base 2 during upward movement of the assembly 7 and the subsequent withdrawal of the punch 13 from the perforated can, a can cover bead engaging groove 25, FIGS. 2 and 3, is provided in the standard 6 horizontally across the side facing the can and at a height corresponding to the respective cover bead position of the can to be opened.

As will be appreciated, a number of these grooves could be provided at different heights along the standard 6 in order to suit differently standarized cans.

Upon perforation of the can and removal thereof from the opener assembly, a drop collector 26 having the form of an oblique spout, is automatically and laterally project- 3 ed through a first opening 27 arranged in the front wall 6A of the standard 6 and disposed directly beneath the perforating point of the punch 13. The spout 26 is positioned to intercept the fluid remnants dripping from the punch 13 in order to collect and store these drops and to prevent same from spattering on the can support base 2.

As can be seen in detail from FIG. 4, the spout 26 is integrally formed with the upper-most part 28 of an elongated and oblique oil discharge channel 29 arranged inside the hollow standard 6 and pivotally therein by means of a pin 30 provided near its lower end 31, FIGS. 2 and 4.

Arranged beneath the lower or discharge end 31 of the channel 29 is the feed-end 32. FIGS. 2 and 4, of a cooperating outlet duct 33, extending transversely inside the standard 6 and projecting therefrom through a second opening 34 arranged in the rear wall 6B thereof, FIGS. 2 and 4. The duct 33 is adapted to deflect fluids exciting from the channel 29 and to direct same away from the opener to a storage container, not shown; for this latter purpose the duct 33 is externally connected at 35, FIG. 2, to a connecting tube 36.

A tension spring, in the form of a spring blade 37, is biassed between the channel 29 and the outlet 33 to normally place the spout 26 in projecting position by exerting pressure on the movable and oblique channel 29, as shown in FIG. 4.

It will be seen that by placing a can in the position as shown in FIG. 2, the spout 26, freely movable through the opening 27, can be wholly pushed into the hollow standard 6, irrespective of the pressure applied by the spring blade 37.

Thus, the spout 26, in conjunction with the channel 29 and the outlet duct 33, serves to effectively intercept the dripping liquids and to channel and direct same away from the opener towards a suitable reservoir.

Finally, an additional feature of the invention resides in that the skirt of the punch or blade 13, adjacent the cutting edge 14, is formed with at least one hole 13. The

purpose of this hole is to relieve the pressure created inside the can as it is opened. As soon as the hole or holes 13' penetrate inside the can, a communication is made with the atmosphere and this air pressure is relieved, thus preventing the oil from splashing.

From the foregoing, it is believed that those familiar with the art will readilypnderstand and appreciate that while the present invention as hereinabove described in association with a particular preferred embodiment and its related use, numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalent may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a can opener, a can supporting base, a hollow standard rising therefrom and, a lever-actuated perforat- 4 ing punch slidable on said standard, wherein the improvement comprises:

(a) a drip collector normally projecting laterally through a first opening in the Wall of said standard and adapted to be fitted into said standard by the physical pressure of a can resting against said standard for perforation operation;

(b) a pivotal, resilient fluid conveyor extending longitudinally inside said standard and arranged to automatically project said collector through said opening upon perforation and removal of said can; and

(c) an outlet duct cooperating with said conveyor and protruding laterally through a second opening in the wall of said standard backwards of and radially from said first opening, whereby fluids dripping from said punch following perforation and removal of the can, are collected and transferred by said collector and discharged into said outlet duct via said conveyor.

2. An opener according to claim 1, wherein said drip collector is in the form of a concave, spout-shaped mouth having a drip inlet and an outlet section; said inlet section, in projected position, being disposed directly beneath said punch.

3. An opener according to claims 1 and 2, wherein said conveyor is in the form of an elongated channel having an inlet and a discharge end; said inlet end being integral- 1y formed with said outlet section of said drip collector and said discharge end being swivelled to permit transverse swinging of said inlet end through an are describing the inner width of said standard.

4. An opener according to claim 1, wherein said outlet duct is provided with a feed and discharge end; said feed end being disposed transversely inside said standard, directly beneath said conveyor and adapted to deflect fluids exciting therefrom while said discharge end projecting laterally from said standard, is arranged to direct said fluids away from said opener.

5. An opener according to claim 3, wherein said channel is resilient by means of a spring blade biassed between said channel and said outlet duct.

6. An opener according to claim 1, wherein said perforating punch is a hollow cylinder having a cutting edge at one end and is formed with at least one air pressure relieving hole therethrough.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1931 Henry 305.5 7/1931 Bolton 30-5.5 

